Issue #42

Jul/Aug 2004

"Sonic comparisons of audio technologies and techniques." Given that my "end rant" is about critical listening, this is a perfect CD to recommend this issue. It has 52 minutes of comparisons in fifteen categories: digital mixer vs. analog, tape vs. digital, tube vs. solid state, etc. I sat and pored over these tests and worked my ass off listening for details. One of the most notable comparisons was between a 1708 Stradivarius and a standard violin-holy shit did the Strad sound much better. Some tests were hard to hear (like different guitar cables). Others were quite obvious (like tape hiss and low-end roll-off with 30 IPS tape). But either way, this is a great tool for building your listening skills while also gaining insight into different techniques and recording equipment. Steve Carr did a fantastic job of putting this collection together, and we should all take advantage of the results. ($34.95 MSRP; www.theabcd.com)

This is a very cool DVD produced by and available from audioMIDI.com. Bob Moog (in his last public appearance), Tom Oberheim, and Dave Smith (of Sequential Circuits and Evolver fame) are the featured...

This 279-page book is filled with some of the most useful information about modern recording that I have seen. The author Bill Gibson is well informed. He has an easy to understand writing style and...

An excellent book covering some of the wackier instruments to make it into pop recordings, like the theremin, clavioline, sitar, melodica, ocarina, stylophone, and more. What's great here is getting...

I recently got an Apple iPod MP3 player for my local commute, and found out that it has a lot of other uses that make it into a viable tool for the traveling engineer. By now you have seen ads for it...

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Behind the Gear

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Vintage King co-founder Michael Nehra shares some of his love, knowledge, and practical advice for diving into the world of vintage audio gear, and then takes us behind the scenes for a walk through...